PHILIPPINES: Senate Lowers Bar For Duterte's Conviction In Impeachment Trial

The Senate, sitting in its capacity as the impeachment court, has lowered the threshold for a conviction of Vice President Sara Duterte and decided that two-thirds majority requirement will apply only to members present at the session. * This comes amid the absence of several Duterte allies, who will thus be excluded from the vote. Rodante Marcoleta and Jinggoy Estrada have been detained on corruption charges, while Ronald dela Rosa is in hiding and Loren Legarda is on extended medical leave. * The decision tips the balance in an impeachment trial that may result in a lifetime ban from politics for Vice President Duterte, who earlier this year confirmed her intention to run in the 2028 presidential election. Duterte's lawyer said she would exhaust all legal pathways to challenge the Senate's decision.